By Aidan Mortensen | KOAL News | Photo Courtesy of Utah State University
Change continues to roll in at Utah State University across the school’s statewide campuses. The newest switch comes for the University’s statewide residential campuses, which consist of USU Eastern in Price, along with locations in Castle Dale, Blanding, Moab, Montezuma Creek, Monticello and Monument Valley. Beginning June 1, Kristian Olsen will serve as vice president for Statewide Residential Campuses.
This move reshuffles leadership at USU Eastern, seeing Doug Miller – who since 2023 has served as the school’s associate vice president – return to his faculty assignment in the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business. “We appreciate Doug’s service as senior associate vice president of USU Eastern,” said Ken White, senior vice president of the Statewide Enterprise. “USU Eastern has seen continued growth in enrollment under Miller’s leadership.”
This change marks Eastern’s third major leadership shake-up since 2023, when former associate vice president Greg Dart stepped down from his role.
This move is the latest in the University’s redesign of its statewide enterprises, which kicked off in January. According to the University, this redesign aims to” enhance academic excellence, accessibility, and community impact to better meet the educational and economic needs of Utah.”
Olsen, who will fully assume the role on July 1, is no stranger to Eastern Utah. He has previously served as associate vice president for the Blanding, Monticello, Montezuma Creek, Monument Valley and Moab campuses.
A press release from the University explains the rationale behind the move: “This leadership change increases administration efficiency for the residential campuses, which will provide more rapid and responsive oversight and leadership for the residential statewide campuses, as well as elevate the Southeastern Region within the USU hierarchy.”
Earlier this year, the University consolidated control of the Wasatch and Southwest regions to a single associate vice president, David Vernon.